Eddie Murphy and Pete Davidson join forces in The Pickup, a dynamic heist comedy that casts them as an unlikely pair of armoured truck drivers thrust into chaos. For Davidson, working alongside Murphy was more than just another role—it was a lifelong dream realized. “Starring opposite Eddie Murphy was a bucket list thing,” said the 31-year-old comedian, who has admired Murphy since childhood.
Despite their characters’ constant bickering on-screen, Murphy and Davidson found common ground off-screen. “Pete comes from Saturday Night Live, just like I did. He’s a stand-up comic. We’re both from the East Coast,” said Murphy. Their shared roots and improvisational instincts created a natural chemistry that fueled the film’s humor. “I love to get into a scene with somebody funny and just start playing,” Murphy added.
In The Pickup, a typical day on the job takes a dangerous turn when Russell (Murphy) and Travis (Davidson) are ambushed by a gang of thieves. The twist? The gang’s leader is Travis’s one-night stand from the night before, played by Keke Palmer. As the situation escalates, the life of Russell’s fiery wife, portrayed by Eva Longoria, is put in jeopardy, forcing the two drivers to set aside their differences and take action.
The screenplay by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider offered a solid foundation, but director Tim Story encouraged the actors to break free from the script. “We would do one take as written and then just go nuts,” Davidson shared. “We’d try to one-up each other, just trying to make each other laugh.” Palmer praised the energy on set, saying it was a joy to watch two different comedic generations go head-to-head.
The physical comedy also reflects the passage of time. “In my early movies like Beverly Hills Cop or 48 Hrs., I was the young maverick. Now I’m the older guy,” Murphy said with a laugh.
With more than four decades in film, Murphy has played an astonishing range of roles—from different ethnicities and genders to inanimate objects and even spaceships. Still, he’s not done pushing boundaries. His next project? A biopic on funk legend George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic. “There’s no one like George,” Murphy said. “So I’ll be in uncharted waters.”
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